Fuel Smarts

Diesel Prices Fall for Second Straight Week

The average U.S. cost of diesel is down for another week, after hitting it’s highest level since August of 2008 two weeks ago.

The U.S. Energy Department’s weekly survey shows the national average is down 4.2 cents from a week ago to $4.088 per gallon. Two weeks ago it registered nearly $4.16 per gallon. The current price is down 3.5 cents per gallon from the same time a year ago.

The Central Atlantic, New England and West Coast regions posted the biggest declines over the past week. The Central Atlantic states recorded a 6.4 cents drop to $4.171 per gallon. The New England and West Coast states showed a decline of more than 5 cents, but were also the highest priced parts of the country, coming in at $4.243 and $4.227, respectively. The Rocky Mountain region has the least expensive regional price at $4.01, down 3.7 cents.

Other regional prices and changes over the past week are:

East Coast, $4.12, down 4.7 cents.

Lower Atlantic, $4.058, down 3.4 cents.

Midwest, $4.043, down 4.2 cents.

Gulf Coast, $4.036, down 2.9 cents.

Gasoline has also fallen over the past week, with the U.S. average giving up 4.9 cents, registering $3.71, which is down nearly 12 cents from the same time a year ago. Like diesel, this is its second consecutive weekly decline.

Oil is up slightly over the past week in New York trading. It closed Monday at $92.06 per barrel, an increase of nearly $2 dollars from a week earlier as investors weighed reports from last week showing U. S unemployment fell in February along with the U.S. dollar weakening against foreign currencies on Monday.